Categories
Personal Growth

Navigating Life’s Big Decisions

Things are always changing. One minute you think you have it all figured out, and the next, you are struggling to make big decisions that could change the course you are on.

For some people, making these big decisions can seem like a breeze. They can take a look at the options and decide without even slowing down.

For others, these big decisions can be enough to derail them and may leave them frozen in their tracks. 

Everyone needs help when it comes to navigating the big decisions in life. No matter what crossroad you find yourself at right now, there are a few easy things that you can do to make sure that you navigate these big decisions with grace and ease. These include:

Be Gentle with Yourself

Even if the change you plan to make is a good one, it is still hard to accept and allow change into your life. You like the status quo, the way things have always been, and any kind of change, whether it is good or bad, can be a little scary. As you make some of the adjustments in life and move forward with that change, remember to be gentle with yourself and allow time for you to get used to it. 

Know Your Why

As you make some big changes in your life, it is a good idea to know your why and remember it. There may come times when you make big decisions when you will need to return to that why remembering why the change or the decision was so important for you in the first place. For many people, this why is going to be like a big compass as they try to navigate the unknown. Remembering the why can help them stay organized and will lead them on the right path as they go. 

Keep Your Routines

According to the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, a good routine is going to be imperative when you are going through major changes. This routine will help give you something to fall back on, something you can rely on again, ensuring that you won’t feel completely lost or in uncharted territory. 

You can choose the type of routine that you would like to do. Maybe you have a special morning routine that includes waking up, doing some exercise, taking a shower, and enjoying a cup of coffee on the porch. You may have the routine in the evening. You can choose how to implement a routine that gives you a sense of security as you try to get a lot done. 

Do Journaling

Processing your complex emotions in your head can be a challenge. Taking the time to a journal can make a big difference. There is no judgment when you write down your thoughts and emotions and no one else has to see the information. 

You can then go back through the pages and see how you are feeling and watch your emotions and thoughts change as the events in your life unfold. And in the end, you may see that the thing that caused you anxiety or made you upset in the past no longer has a firm hold on you. 

Final Thoughts

Whether you are excited about a change that is coming your way or you feel a lot of apprehensions, just know that others around you are dealing with the same thing. There are a ton of life decisions that you need to think about, but when you have a plan in place and give yourself some grace as you navigate it all, you will find that these life changes no longer have to be as scary and can lead you to something amazing in the end. 

Categories
Personal Growth

6 Tips For Working Through Your Mistakes

None of us are immune to making mistakes. Yet, those who have the skillset and confidence to learn from their mistakes are the ones who seem to do better in life.

By gaining knowledge and experience from our slip-ups, we boost people’s trust in our abilities. Not only that, but we become more capable of navigating life’s ups and downs with minimal stress and anxiety.

In this guide, I’ll discuss six tips for working through your mistakes. I’ll also talk about the psychology behind making mistakes, and how your blunders can actually help you become the best version of yourself.

So, let’s get started.

Own Your Mistakes

The first step in working through a mistake and learning from it is to admit to it. It’s not easy owning up to our oversights, but it’s part of the process of growth and self-discovery.

Also, try not to make excuses or justify your actions. I have to admit that it’s a lot easier to hide behind some lame reason or just blame someone else for what happened.

Let’s face it; we’re all afraid of being criticized and judged. However, when you do that, you only feel good for a short while. But then, soon after, the guilt starts to eat away at you.

So, while difficult to do, holding yourself accountable will be better for you in the long run. First of all, it’ll give you peace of mind. Plus, you’ll gain the respect of your peers as well as yourself.

Shift Your Perspective

Why did Thomas Edison have no problem failing all those times throughout his career? Because he didn’t see his mistakes and failures as something bad to be ashamed of.

Instead, he took them as an opportunity to learn. If he’d been afraid of what people might say about his repeated mistakes when he was inventing the light bulb, he wouldn’t have made history and become one of the most famous inventors of all time.

The same goes for hundreds of successful people. Yet, we usually don’t focus on their journey. Instead, we fast forward to the part where they became famous, forgetting that they spent days and weeks slipping up and trying to fix their errors.

Explore Alternative Courses of Action

Once you’ve trained your mind to see the good that can come from making mistakes, you’ll be better equipped to understand what went wrong.

You’ll also know why it happened and what you can do in the future to prevent it from happening again.

Yet, probably one of the most significant advantages of making mistakes is when you’re able to dig through the rubble and come up with alternative courses of action. For example, list the facts and devise other ways to handle the same situation or something similar.

This is a great way to take advantage of what happened and use it as a stepping stone to the next big thing in your life. As a result, you’ll find it easier to work through your mistakes and manage things more effectively.

Stop Dwelling on the Past

It’s only natural to find yourself fixated on that time you spilled coffee all over your presentation. Or when you stumbled on your way up the stairs and nearly ran into your boss.

Yet, dwelling on the past and overthinking are two of the biggest barriers to working through your mistakes.

Not only that, but they have a negative effect on your self-esteem. As a result, you become more anxious and apprehensive and have trouble moving on.

When you feel like your negative self-talk is taking over, you have to make a conscious effort to stop it before it gains momentum. Show yourself the same kindness and empathy you’d show to a friend.

The best way to do that is to make peace with your mistakes. Tell yourself that life moves on.

You can’t change what happened. So, the best way to get over something like that is to use it to avoid making the same mistake in the future.

Create a Plan of Action

The next logical step is to develop a plan of action. This is where you create a vivid mental image of what you should and shouldn’t do differently to get better results.

To start, gather as much information as you can and analyze it. Then, finally, put your plan into motion.

One of the best ways to ensure your plan is successful is to rely on new resources or skills. So, why not join a class or pick up a hobby? It’ll get you involved in new experiences while exposing yourself to new skill sets that you can use for self-improvement.

Make New Mistakes

No matter how old you are or what position you hold in your workplace, you will make mistakes. They’re a natural part of growing as an individual.

The only thing you can do is to make the most of your mistake and use it as a learning tool. This way, you’ll minimize their impact on your mental and emotional health, and you’ll be able to pick up the pieces much more efficiently.

So, the next time you find yourself slipping up, try taking a solution-oriented approach rather than dwell on the actual mistake. This positive way of dealing with things will allow you to think a few steps ahead to focus more on the solution rather than the problem.

Categories
Confidence

Personal Hygiene and Self Care to Boost Your Confidence

It can be hard to take care of ourselves when we’re going through a rough patch. When our self-confidence gets low, our self-esteem takes a hit, or we get outright depressed, personal hygiene and self-care are often the first things to go. 

This makes us feel even worse and starts a self-reinforcing feedback loop of negative feelings and lost confidence. Focusing on personal hygiene and self-care stops this loop, which is why it’s one of the first lines of treatment for depression.

But you don’t have to be depressed or even insecure to benefit from this technique. Researchers have shown that putting more effort into personal hygiene and self-care helps everyone, from the most depressed person to the most confident, to feel better about themselves. 

In fact, this is one of the most effective techniques you can use to get a solid short-term confidence boost. Do it often enough, and you can permanently increase your baseline confidence level.

What does it mean to use this technique? Well, if you’re depressed, it means to do simple things like take a shower, brush your teeth, and eat something good for you. These are good pieces of advice for anyone, but if you’ve probably got most of those down if you’re not struggling with depression.

You can take these things up a notch. Get a nice haircut. Dye your hair or do your nails if you like that sort of thing. Go buy a new outfit that makes you look incredible. Get some accessories that go with it too. These things boost your confidence and self-esteem immediately.

Make sure to do everything on your personal hygiene list. Start flossing. Whiten your teeth if yours bother you. Buy the premium soap or perfume you’ve been wanting to try.

For self-care, do some things like eat those healthy meals. Cut back on the caffeine and the sugar. Take a walk. Stop putting off needed medical care. Go to the dentist. 

Take some time to yourself and do something you like that relaxes you -whether that’s a bubble bath, a video game, or rappelling off a 500-foot cliff with nothing below you but air. (To each their own.)

These things might seem selfish, but they aren’t because personal hygiene and self-care are both essential to feeling good about yourself. Any of these will help boost your self-confidence, some more than others depending on your personality. Give then a try and comment below about how much better you feel!